STATEMENT OF MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ON DR. GUILLERMO LINARES STEPPING DOWN AS THE CITY'S COMMISSIONER OF IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS

"Last night, Dr. Guillermo Linares told me
that he is going to stand for election in the City Council's tenth district, and
he resigned - effective immediately - as the City's Commissioner of Immigrant
Affairs to avoid any potential conflict of interest.

"Even before he joined our Administration in
July 2004, I counted Guillermo as an adviser, and I have since come to count him
as a friend. As Commissioner, Guillermo spearheaded our efforts to ensure that
government services are accessible and understandable to all New Yorkers,
regardless of their immigration status or native language.

"Guillermo made history when he was elected
to represent Upper Manhattan in 1991 in the City Council, becoming the first
person born in the Dominican Republic elected to public office anywhere in the
United States. But more importantly, he has helped us make a major difference in
the lives of every immigrant community over the last five years. Guillermo has
been an important part of our efforts to deliver better government services to
the hard-working people from around the world who come to New York seeking
greater opportunities for themselves and their families. We will miss his
leadership, and I wish him all the best.